Here’s How to Charge Your Phone Faster
Updated: Sep. 07, 2022You're ready to start your day and oh no! Dead cell battery. Fortunately, there's help. Here's how to charge your phone faster.
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You’re just about to head out for the day and grab your phone—but you notice you forgot to charge it and your battery power is in the single digits. Here’s how to charge your phone faster, or at least make sure you don’t lose any more power. Make sure you know the 10 ways you’re shortening the life of your phone.
Switch into airplane mode
A quick way to keep the battery from draining so quickly is to switch it into airplane mode. You won’t be able to get texts or search online, but you’ll save power because your phone won’t be constantly searching for a cellular or WiFi connection. This is what could happen if you don’t put your phone on airplane mode during flights.
Turn it off
There’s no better way to make sure all the power goes directly to your battery than making sure there’s no competition for it, or leave your phone in low power mode. You can find it in settings on an iPhone or on Android phones, it’s known as battery saver mode.
Plug it into a wall socket
The USB port of your computer may be convenient when you’re working remotely, but an outlet will charge your phone faster. “This is because USB ports usually only charge at 0.5 amps, so it’s going to take twice the time to charge your phone than the 1 amp power adapter it came with,” according to Asurion. Plus, here’s why you shouldn’t charge your phone in your car.
Use a powerful wall charger
It can also be helpful to have a charger that works faster than the one that comes with your phone. Just find an outlet, plug the charger in, and connect it to your phone. HTC’s Rapid Charger is a popular choice. However, make sure you know these 8 places where you should never charge your phone.
Keep a charged battery pack handy
For those situations when you know you’re going to be far from a traditional power source, buying a battery pack is a good idea. Just make sure to plan for it in advance, so you can charge the battery pack before you leave. After knowing how to charge your phone faster using this method, find out about some phone battery myths you should stop believing.
Get your phone out of the sun
Avoid exposing your phone to temperatures 95 degrees and higher, Apple advises. The heat can damage your battery capacity. In fact, your phone’s software may limit charging to about 80 percent when the phone gets hotter than the recommended temperature. Here are 7 ways to cool down an overheating phone.
Take your phone out of the case
If you notice that your phone gets hot when you charge it, Apple suggests taking it out of its case before you charge it. “Charging your device when it’s inside certain styles of cases may generate excess heat, which can affect battery capacity.”
Clean out your lightning port
The problem may not be with the power of your battery itself. Over time, lint and dust can accumulate in your lightning port and clog it. (That’s where you plug your charger into your phone.) CNET recommends turning your phone off and using a toothpick to gently remove any debris from the port. Then plug in your charger again and see if it works better.
Use your Mac’s power adapter or iPad charger
If you have an iPhone, you can plug it directly into Apple 12W and 10W USB power adapters, according to Apple. Connect your device to the power adapter with the USB to Lightning cable or 30-pin to USB cable. Then find out about some iPhone hacks you never knew about.
Get a powerful wireless charger
For a quick juice boost, look for a charger with high wattage. “The higher the number of watts, the faster your device will charge,” Macworld reports. The typical chargers that come with iPhones and older Android phones carry one amp of current and produce five watts of power, according to the consumer blog Techlicious. But “new rapid chargers with technology such as Quick Charge support two amps and 12 watts or more, potentially charging your phone up to four times faster.” After you look into this top-rated wireless charger (or this one), check out more cell phone accessories that will make your life easier.
Use an Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable
Got a half-hour to spare? If you have an iPhone 8 or later and an adapter, Apple’s USB-C Lightning Cable will allow you to charge your battery up to 50 percent of capacity. It’s compatible with Apple 18W, 29W, 30W, 61W, or 87W USB-C Power Adapter.
Get a wireless charging pad
Though wired charging is faster, wireless charging is also a good option. The Samsung Wireless Charging Pad can work with phones including the iPhone 8 and Samsung Galaxy S8, Techlicious notes.
Invest in a charging case
For an ongoing solution to keeping making sure you can charge your phone quickly, consider getting a charging case. Some models, such as the Apple Smart Battery Case, can extend your battery’s life for 22 hours. They come in a range of prices and designs. Are you someone who likes to take your phone on adventures? Some of the cases are made with protective materials. Now that you’re all charged up and know how to charge your phone faster, find out some places you should never leave your phone.
